Rusty the Kit
by hkhkcat
Summary: We all know about Firestar, but no one knows about his early life. Read to find out!
1. Introduction or The Kitting

Nutmeg woke up, gasping for air. "Jake! Jake! The kits are coming! Help! Help! Help me! Oh, it hurts!"

Jake bounded over to the brown she-cat. He held a stick in his large mouth. "Bite," he ordered.

Nutmeg grabbed the stick sharply with one paw, and bit down as the first kit emerged. It broke in two, and she bit again as one more came out.

She took a deep breath and regained her balance. "What should we name them?" she asked weakly.

"You choose," Jake said. She pointed to the ginger one.

"He will be Rusty."

"That's a good name," Jake said, nodding in approval.

She pointed to the white one.

"She will be Princess."

Jake didn't necessarily like that name, but he accepted it. "That's nice," he said, obviously faking it, but Nutmeg was in so much shock she didn't notice.

_**Thus began the life of Rusty . . . **_


	2. Nutmeg's Decision

Rusty was playing with his little gray mouse toy. He heard his father, Jake, yelling something. "Dad!" Rusty called.

Jake burst into the room. "Nutmeg! Where is Nutmeg?"

Rusty looked at him quizzically. "Mom?"

"Yes, your mom. Where is she?"

"She went away. She said she was starting a mew life. What's a mew life?"

"A mew life . . . " Jake whispered to himself. "Not a mew life, a new life! Your mom left us."

"But Mom wouldn't leave us . . . " Rusty said in his soft voice.

"Well, she did. How are we going to tell Princess?" Jake asked.

"Princess was there. She's in her bed. I think she's crying."

"Oh, the poor thing. I'm going to go see her."

"Can I come?" Rusty asked excitedly.

"No. And wipe that grin off your face!"

Rusty turned away. "You're mean!" he shouted back.


	3. Chat Between the Siblings

_**The Next Moon**_

Rusty was sleeping in his comfortable bed with his new housefolk. He looked over at his fluffy white sister, Princess.

"Do you ever miss Mom?" he asked her.

"Rusty," she chided gently, her eyes welling with tears. "Don't talk about that!"

Princess might have been Rusty's age, but she was like an older sister. "I'm sorry, Princess," Rusty said with an air of sadness.

"And what about Jake? Our father. I miss him."

"Well, you're quite the talker," Princess said, her usually serious lips curling up into a smile.

"I am?" Rusty asked in surprise as his sweet sister praised him.

"Yes, you are. Now let's go for a stroll."

"Sure!" Rusty smiled excitedly and bounced away.

Princess followed and looked at all the houses. There was Snowy's, Sugar's, Haze's . . . She thought that their own was the best. With the silver bowls and satin curtains, she lived in the most comfort.

"You know, I've been thinking," Rusty suddenly said with an aura of contemplation.

"About what?" Princess asked thoughtfully.

"About Dad, you know, Jake."

"Yeah. I miss him. Ever since he left, I've been lonely. You know, I have you and all . . . but there's just a hole in me that I can't fill."

"I understand," Rusty contemplated. "You know, the last thing I ever said to him was 'You're mean!'"

"Ooohh . . . that's harsh," Princess commented.

"Yeah, I didn't speak to him for the rest of the day and then some more housefolk came to pick us up the next day," Rusty said.

"Well, you can't change the past," Princess said.

"Yeah, but it will stay with me for the rest of my life."

"Well . . . yeah, but you'll probably never see him again."

The conversation faded as Rusty and Princess walked gradually down the block.


	4. Rusty and Smudge's Exploration

Rusty was outside, playing with his new, however rather fat, friend Smudge.

"Hey Smudge! Pass!" he called, asking Smudge to give him the moss-ball. However, Smudge's white paws hit the ball, and it fell to the ground with a thunk.

"Aww!" Smudge groaned.

"It's okay!" Rusty tried to smile, but that was one more point that he had lost. Smudge didn't notice anything, being the optimistic kitten.

"Hey, you want to explore?"

"The forest? No way am I going there," Smudge said with caution.

"No, I just mean the backyard! Henry's backyard!"

"But he doesn't want us to go there!" Smudge whined.

"C'mon! Are you too _scared?_

"Peer pressure! Peer pressure!" Smudge chanted. "Well . . . fine . . . " he gave in.

"Well, follow me!" Rusty padded off in the hot black street.

"Ouch . . ooh . . eeh! How come it's me who has to step on all the rocks?"

"I'm more careful!" Rusty gloated, carefully stepping around a rock, only to land on another one. "Ow!"

"Ner-ner!" Smudge smiled.

Rusty scoffed. "Well, come here if you want to go into the yard!"

Henry was sitting on his post as usual.

"We're going to have to sneak past him!" Rusty whispered.

"Sure!" Smudge said.

"Shhh!"

"Oh! Sorry!" Smudge said softly.

The two cats padded into the yard, and Henry didn't bat an eye.

"Mission accomplished!" Rusty cheered.

Smudge nodded in agreement yet caution.

A twoleg opened the door. "Shoo!"

Rusty and Smudge fled for the safety of the front yard, where Henry also didn't notice.

"He's so fat, I guess he can't hear anything!" Rusty whispered.

Smudge stifled a giggle, then smiled.

However, Henry soon turned his head.

The cats ran across the street. "Monster!" Smudge cried. It was heading right for them!

"Run!" Rusty yowled. Smudge was rooted to the ground in surprise and fear. "Smudge!" Smudge still wouldn't move.

Rusty grabbed Smudge by the scruff and hauled him across the street. The monster whipped by so fast, a couple hairs off of Smudge's tail came off and drifted in the air, slowly coming down.

Smudge looked at Rusty in awe. "I can't believe you - you saved me!"

"It was nothin'," Rusty said, blushing and looking down at his paws.

"Wow! You're like a superhero!" Smudge said.

"Be quiet!"

"Fine . . . " Smudge murmured.

"Oh Rusty! Time for dinner!" Rusty could hear the rattling of that gross sand-like food into his silver bowl.

"Guess I have to go! Bye, Smudge, that was fun!"

"Bye, Rusty," Smudge said reluctantly. "See you tomorrow!"

"Same," Rusty said, heading home.


End file.
